played this squad tonight:

Chewie Wants a Medal (100pts)

Chewie + Expert handling (44)

Outer Rim Smuggler + Anti-Persuit Lasers (29)

Dagger Squadron + Advanced Sensors (27)

It plays pretty well, i beat a Han Shoots first variant pretty handily twice. Yes my dice were pretty hot but i could still see the potential of this squad. Smuggler is a useful blocker who dishes nice damage at close range - its likely not going to get ganged up on which leaves it free to get in close and deal pretty heavy damage.

both games i set up chewie just off centre and the smuggler and B-Wing together about a range ruler from Chewie. i found the B-Wing complements the smuggler well with their movement dials and the fact the smuggler goes first lets ur B-Wing tuck in behind or beside the smuggler to stay at long range from threats.

i need to test this squad a bit more but early signs are good.

I was contemplating going to three falcons and running 2 smugglers with chewie but i think theyd get in each others way a bit too much. having two ships with 360 firing arcs backed up by a pretty mobile ship like the B-Wing works well.

I also thought about Draw Their Fire on chewie to help protct the B-Wing from crits but i think this might make chewie a bigger priority target and he is the ship id prefer to have in the endgame

Oh, I really like that build.

It feels like it has better balance versus different lists than a double falcon or a HSF.

I might go and test it in the coming weeks.

i was really surprised how effective ORS was. i mean u just drive him straight into the thick of the enemy ships and try ur best to block, its a bonus if they overlap into you because at close range with 360 degree firing you get 3 attack dice with target lock as backup - no point saving a focus for defense with just one agility. ORS is your weakest ship so they r really damned if the do shoot it and damned if they dont!

i tried to pack in the asteroids a bit during placement, trying to create 'parking spots' for my ORS where i felt the initial engagement would take place. I think of the ORS in this squad as a massive mobile asteroid with attack dice

As i mentioned, the high mobility u have with the Dagger with adv. sensors complements the ORS quite well, as the Dagger can sit close to the ORS and take pot shots at the ships that either get stuck on its windscreen or try to move out of its way - this messes with their firing arcs as they r trying to change vectors quickly while your Dagger is still keeping them in its firing arc

Have been thinking about a 3 ship double YT build and this looks pretty good. How about an ion cannon on the B? Ionize them ties into the ORS.

A similar build I am pondering:

• Chewie in YT
• ORS with Gunner and APLs
• Roark with ion cannon

Got the ion / APL interaction, and even though Gunner on the ORS seems a bit odd, his 2 attack die means he has perhaps more need than most for 2 attacks, one to strip tokens and the other to hit.

Have been thinking about a 3 ship double YT build and this looks pretty good. How about an ion cannon on the B? Ionize them ties into the ORS.

A similar build I am pondering:

• Chewie in YT
• ORS with Gunner and APLs
• Roark with ion cannon

Got the ion / APL interaction, and even though Gunner on the ORS seems a bit odd, his 2 attack die means he has perhaps more need than most for 2 attacks, one to strip tokens and the other to hit.

• yeah thats a good call on the ion cannon - some added assistance versus highly mobile squads would be good. yeah ionizing them into ORS is nice i quite like ur squad too, it seems geared to combat swarms perhaps a lil better than mine. i am just finding that the Dagger is getting in some heavy lifting in this squad and perhaps should be their primary target as its a small mobile ship that if left along can certainly dish more damage than the ORS can.
• I wonder if Roark is a little fragile in this team? Hes more of a rapier sword giving ur ships PS12 and adds a rd 360 firing arc whereas the Dagger with adv. sensors functions more like a heavy axe that crushes stuff and can also take some punishment. They both serve a different role tho.

I think I like the original better, I think you lose to much damage. You are only at 3 ships as it is, and with the turrets plus advanced sensor upgrade you should take advantage of movement anyway. And If the enemy moves away of the ORS you are getting yourself out of line of sight.

However you might consider an Ion cannon instead of advanced sensors. Or go to a blue with advanced and a flechette torpedos to get a semi lockdown on some units.

I think I like the original better, I think you lose to much damage. You are only at 3 ships as it is, and with the turrets plus advanced sensor upgrade you should take advantage of movement anyway. And If the enemy moves away of the ORS you are getting yourself out of line of sight.

However you might consider an Ion cannon instead of advanced sensors. Or go to a blue with advanced and a flechette torpedos to get a semi lockdown on some units.

yeah i agree trading a B for a HWK would reduce the firepower, which is needed in 3 ship squads. once i lose a ship im on the back foot so i better make those 3 ships as durable as possible! im going to test the ion cannon over adv sensors, i think both are good in this squad. they just change the way u fly ur B-Wing.

with ion cannon its more a support ship that disables key targets (this might cause them to leave the B alone and go for chewie... ?)

with the adv. sensors its more of a mobile jousting unit that demands attention right away.

two ships with barrel rolling is nice too.

ion cannon instead of adv sensors will be amazing, i guarantee it as a fan of b's with them.

So how about

Chewie + Expert handling (44)

Outer Rim Smuggler + Anti-Persuit Lasers (29)

Blue Squadron + Ion Cannon and FCS (27)

So how about

Chewie + Expert handling (44)

Outer Rim Smuggler + Anti-Persuit Lasers (29)

Blue Squadron + Ion Cannon and FCS (27)

not bad. ur trading 2 pts of PS for ion control and boosted 2ns attack if u dnt destroy them in first shot.

Dagger is the more solid option if u meta is full of rookie pilots because its mid-range PS.

To my thinking it seems hard to improve on Dagger+Adv. Sensors which is a very mobile attacker that can outmanouvre most other small fighters and has a nasty knack of getting free shots at close range with its ability to barrel roll out of enemy arcs and change vector with a barrel roll before even moving making it especially hard to block.

May well have been better going with that Combo as I never used the ion cannon to great effect. I won with the above squad by coming at the mixed tie swarm out of the asteroids. In the mirror match I tore it apart as my mate flew at me strait on and I focus fired the **** out of both YTs and his dice failed him.

Nice work bp. i think the Outer Rim Smuggler will surprise people with its effectiveness. u can pretty much drive it into their formation and disrupt their flight paths while getting in close range shots. Meanwhile Chewie and Dagger offer heavy suppression fire.

I am 4-0 with this list:

Chewie Wants a Medal (100pts)

Chewie + Expert handling (44)

Outer Rim Smuggler + Anti-Persuit Lasers (29)

Dagger Squadron + Advanced Sensors (27)

defeated 2 Han Shoots 1st variants - both full victories.

defeated 2 Tie Swarms (one 6 ship, one 5 ship, both with 2 intercepters, one with high PS) - both victories were a modified win and i lost the ORS in one game and bother the ORS and B-Wing in the other win.

Its durable. Chewie with expert handling is great. If he gets to the end game its a thing of beauty.

im thinking of ways to make it even stronger. Some ideas:

• downgrade the Dagger to a Blue Squadron Pilot and free up 2pts for Falcon Title and Nien Nunb on Chewie
  
• switch out the ORS for Wes Janson (or another X-Wing pilot with upgrades)
  
• downgrade the Dagger to a Blue Squadron Pilot and drop the Adv. Sensors to add Gunner to Chewie.
  

any other suggestions? the squad is working so i dont really want to mamke wholesale changes, just tweeks.

any other suggestions? the squad is working so i dont really want to mamke wholesale changes, just tweeks.

Well, in response to the general thrust of your thinking--if your opponent lets Chewie into the endgame he or she is an idiot, and you should probably discount those results.

Other than that, I think I would drop the Dagger + Advanced Sensors to Blue + FCS. Those 3 points buy you C-3PO for one of the YTs, probably for Chewie who's already got the advantage of durability and will be a priority target for your opponent. You could also trade EH down to Draw Their Fire or Veteran Instincts in order to get the Falcon title, which completes the durability package; I like EH, but choosing between it and the ability to evade is like picking a favorite child.

any other suggestions? the squad is working so i dont really want to mamke wholesale changes, just tweeks.

Well, in response to the general thrust of your thinking--if your opponent lets Chewie into the endgame he or she is an idiot, and you should probably discount those results.

Other than that, I think I would drop the Dagger + Advanced Sensors to Blue + FCS. Those 3 points buy you C-3PO for one of the YTs, probably for Chewie who's already got the advantage of durability and will be a priority target for your opponent. You could also trade EH down to Draw Their Fire or Veteran Instincts in order to get the Falcon title, which completes the durability package; I like EH, but choosing between it and the ability to evade is like picking a favorite child.

it takes time to figure out how to best tackle any squad so i guess i am experiencing the element of surprise with at least two of these results - but in a tournament they wont get a second opportunity to beat you unless u face them in the championship rounds. i agree chewie should be the priority target which is why putting Draw Their Fire on him will only hasten his destruction - opponents who r unsure about who to attack will likely just go for chewie to negate his drawing fire abilities

• i like to setup with ORS and B together with a favoured tactic being keeping the B tucked in behind the ORS about 1 band length back to discourage ships K-Turning in behind after the first pass.
• i use chewie as a flanker and will bring him in from the flank or get him in behind the enemy formation eg. circling in a wide arc and using the asteroids as a deterrent for them turning and engaging him head on.
• ORS with APL really messes with their formation and they will likely scatter or risk hitting him and triggering the APL opening them up to close range shots from ORS and supporting fire from the B and chewie

i think the optimal build with these ships could be...

Chewie Wants a Medal (100pts)

Chewie + Expert handling + Nien Nimb + Falcon Title (46)

Outer Rim Smuggler + Anti-Persuit Lasers (29)

Blue Squadron Pilot + Advanced Sensors (25)

• This variant gives added defense for chewie and nice synergy with Nimb and expert handling letting me shred stress more easily, even when zooming at top speed.
• Keeping Chewies action is key because he needs focus fire or target locks to deal reliable damage without gunner. For this reason i like to use him at long range to avoid unwanted entanglements and let the ORS and B draw the early heat until chewie can get into a solid flanking position.

I am thinking Falcon title plus Nien Numb is a good add. Will help quite a bit burning stress and with end game survival.